Part One


Chapter Nine

Now, I realize a lot of you may think I'm acting out of character by going along with Teruhashi-san's plans for Yuuta's party, but let's be honest, with Teruhashi-san, Nendou, Kaidoh, and even my mom involved, there's no way I can get out of participating without a huge fuss. If I had my powers, I'd just teleport somewhere until everything was over, but you have to remember that I'm an ordinary guy now, and that means I'm subject to the whims and schemes of my friends and family, just like every other ordinary guy.

That said, it's easier just to go along with Teruhashi-san's plan without complaint because the sooner it's done, the sooner I can leave. Besides, Teruhashi-san promised me coffee jelly at Café Mami afterwards, and who would say no to that?


The Queen of Trash

As expected, reactions were mixed when Teruhashi and Kusuo stepped into the backyard. The adults looked amused but largely dismissive while the kids were torn between awe and jealous disbelief. Yuuta wasted no time in running over and enveloping Peach-T Girl's knees in an exuberant hug.

"You're here!" Yuuta grinned up at her, though he was clearly forcing it just a bit. "You finally came!"

"Of course, Yuu-chan!" Teruhashi smiled her pretty-girl smile, though Kusuo noted there was a certain coldness to it that was never there before. "Sorry we're late. Miss Bubble-Gum was making a fuss across town, so we had to stop her on our way."

To corroborate her story, Teruhashi gleefully produced a bottle of pink, bubble-gum flavored soda. "Here! I made sure to bottle some just for you."

"Wow!" Stars shown in Yuuta's eyes as he accepted the offered soda with near reverence. "Thanks so much, Peach-T Girl!"

Yuuta bounced away to show off his new soda to his parents. His mother ooo-ed and aww-ed as expected while his father offered them a grateful nod that Kusuo returned because Teruhashi was being interrogated by a gang of six-year-olds.

"Are you really Peach-T Girl?" A blue-haired boy said with such rude condescension, Kusuo was tempted to pop him on the head and tell him to watch his mouth. Judging by the vein popping in Teruhashi's forehead, she was resisting the same urge.

"I really am!"

"Hmpf." The snotty boy crossed his arms and looked around at his little posse with his nose in the air. "I don't believe you."

The vein in Teruhashi's forehead grew more pronounced; her smile more forced. "Oh?"

"If you're the real Peach-T Girl, where's your uniform? Peach-T Girl wears a helmet and a power suit, not a dumb jacket."

Now hold on, her jacket is not dumb. Like the one she'd made for Kusuo, Teruhashi's leather jacket was the epitome of bad-assery. It must have taken her days to make.

Deciding to back her up, he was the Cyborg Cider-man #2 to her Peach-T Girl, after all, Kusuo stepped forward and crossed his arms.

"Well, well." The unfamiliar voice felt slimy and amused as it wafted over Kusuo's shoulder. "I didn't expect to see you here."

Kusuo spun around, scrambling to put as much distance between himself and the unknown Nendou-bug that had appeared behind him. The man looked older, about late twenties to early thirties, but he didn't seem to be the parent of one of Yuuta's friends. Unlike the other adults, who had dressed casually for a day lounging about a friend's yard in simple sundresses, jeans, khakis, and polos, this man wore an impeccably tailored charcoal gray, slim-fit suit matched with a black oxford shirt and a black silk tie.

Only the first of the suit coat's two buttons was fastened, which let the man stand casually with one hand in his pocket and gave him an air of casual arrogance that was enhanced by the small, silver hoop in his left ear. His shoulder-length, ebony hair was pulled back in a neat ponytail at the nape of his neck, matching his ominous black eyes that somehow seemed dead despite his polite smile.

Kusuo eyed the man warily as he adjusted the silver cufflinks holding together the sleeves of his black oxford shirt. Based on his coloring, bone-structure, impressive height for a Japanese male, and the furtive, giddy glances of the neighborhood mothers, this man was considered quite attractive and should therefore be difficult to forget.

Kusuo had no clue who he was. He supposed it was possible that they'd met when his x-ray vision was still in full effect. If their introduction was brief enough, Kusuo wouldn't have cycled through the man's layers enough to piece together a general description, even with his eidetic memory.

The man tilted his head with an amused smile, as if he could guess Kusuo's thoughts. He chuckled. "When your power signature disappeared from the vicinity three months ago and didn't come back, we assumed someone stronger must have taken you out."

Kusuo's brow furrowed. What was this guy talking about? Who even was he? He looked normal enough, but there was this dark presence that seemed to ooze off him like miasmic tar, clouding the air around him. And what did he mean by taken out? By someone stronger?

Bringing up his fist, the man stifled a laugh. "Oh my, it seems you weren't aware, were you? That there really are people in this world as strong as you were. And whether you believe it or not, some are stronger still."

Kusuo ground his teeth. "Who are you?"

"Saiki-kun?" Teruhashi stepped up beside him, her brow furrowed with concern. "You're suddenly so tense." She eyed the strange man, recoiling slightly before coming back to herself and straightening up with a blinding smile. "Hello, are you one of the parents? My name is—"

The man snorted, looking down his nose at Teruhashi with a level of disgust that amazed Kusuo. He never would have thought anyone could look at Teruhashi that way, like she was mold growing in a box of forgotten takeout found at the very back of the fridge. Even Kusuke had recognized, at least to some degree, where Teruhashi fit in the universal social structure, but this man? He was looking at Teruhashi as if she wasn't fit to lick his shoes.

"I know who you are." The man sneered. "Teruhashi Kokomi; seventeen-years-old. You're quite powerful in the lowest circles, but the queen of trash is still just trash."

Teruhashi stared, her eyes wide and face slack as if she didn't know what to say. Kusuo didn't blame her. This was even worse than the New Year's they were forced to spend walking around the temple with his idiot brother.

"You…" Teruhashi tried again. "What…?"

"Why don't you run along, little girl? Before you end up hurt."

Kusuo stepped to the side, putting himself between Teruhashi and the strange man. "Look, I don't know what your problem is, but this is a kid's birthday party. If you don't have a kid here, leave."

Amusement lent an undead light to his pupil-less black eyes. "Or what, tough guy?" He looked Kusuo over from head to foot and back again. He grinned. "You'll make me?"

"Look, look, look, Cyborg Cider-man #2! Mimiko-chan got me a helmet just like yours!" Yuuta ran over with an over-sized replica of the Cyborg Cider-man #2 helmet sitting jauntily on his head. It was so large, he had to tilt his head all the way back so he could meet Kusuo's eyes. Yuuta grinned. "Now I'm just like you, aren't I, Cyborg Cider-man #2?"

"Yuuta." Kusuo reached for the boy who was uncomfortably close to the unknown man. "Come here—"

The man's hands dropped onto both of Yuuta's shoulders. "No need for that, Cyborg Cider-Man #2. I'm just here to wish the birthday boy congratulations on making it to his sixth year."

He smiled down at Yuuta, who had somehow tilted his head back even further so he could look up at the man's kind face and dead eyes.

"After all." The man's grip tightened enough that Yuuta winced. "No one expected him to last this long."

"Saiki-kun—!" Teruhashi ordered, but Kusuo might as well have read her mind. He lunged forward, punching the man in the jaw with all his strength. Shockingly, instead of dropping like he should have done with a punch that heavy, the man only fell back a few steps, rubbing at his jaw with the back of his hand. Still, he'd let go of Yuuta, and that's what mattered.

"Cyborg Cider-man #2?"

"Not right now." Kusuo scooped Yuuta up before spinning around to press him into Teruhashi's arms. He gave her a firm look. "Don't let go of him."

Teruhashi clutched Yuuta to her chest as if he were the Holy Grail. "Of course!"

Putting himself back in front of Teruhashi and Yuuta, Kusuo sized the strange man up. A bit of fringe had fallen loose from his otherwise impeccable ponytail, and there was a line of blood from the corner of his mouth to his chin where his tooth must have caught his lip. Straightening up, the man flicked the blood from his face with his thumb before slicking his hair back with both hands.

"I must say, that was quite impressive considering your current state." He started circling Kusuo, unbuttoning his suit jacket as he walked. Kusuo turned with him, careful to keep Teruhashi and Yuuta behind him at all times as he unwound the scarf from his neck and handed it off to Teruhashi. She took it without a word.

"What did you do, exactly? Your powers are gone, no doubts there, but that shouldn't be possible. Even a seal would only suppress them; nothing should be able to erase them completely. And yet, here you are; not dead and no powers. How?"

Kusuo said nothing as he undid the buttons on his own coat. He'd never been in a fight before, so he didn't know how they usually broke out, but something inside him said that's exactly where this was going. The other adults seemed to recognize it too as they'd stopped chatting about their jobs or families and had started mumbling to one another, wondering what was going on. Yuuta's parents looked especially concerned, though for the moment, they seemed content to let things play out. They obviously hadn't seen that man put his hands on Yuuta; otherwise, they wouldn't be so nonchalant.

"You realize you have nothing on me." The man held out his hands, palms up, as if to placate him. "With your powers gone, you don't stand a chance."

"Maybe."

The man laughed then shrugged dramatically, raising both hands almost over his head. "Well, I tried to warn you."

"Teruhashi-san." Kusuo shrugged off his coat and handed it back. Teruhashi took it, but he didn't let go. "Call the Sentai."

"Hai."

Kusuo let go of his coat and settled into a loose stance. He may have never been in a fight before, but his psychic training had been brutal. And while his powers may be gone, his body still remembered the rigorous regime he had followed every morning for six long years.

The man pulled off his own jacket and tossed it over his shoulder before rolling up his sleeves.

Yare, yare. Kusuo raised his fists, prepping for the first attack. So much for ordinary.